Should you visit Fort Lauderdale or Columbus?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Fort Lauderdale and Columbus. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale is located on the Atlantic coast of Florida, not far from Miami, and is famous for its beaches and boating culture. An elaborate system of canals runs through the city, adding to the charm and coastal lifestyle. Plenty of restaurants, shops, watersports, and other things to do can be found here in addition to the beautiful beaches. The city is family-friendly and also caters to older travelers as well as younger generations. While it's not an inexpensive place to visit, the prices are on par with other cities in southeastern Florida. The beach is lined with high-rise condos and hotels that tend to be expensive, while a few blocks back from the shore you'll find plenty of nice houses along with shops, restaurants, and fun activities for all ages. And since Fort Lauderdale is part of the Miami metro area, you can easily get to all of the other beach areas, cities, and activities in the nearby metropolitan areas as well.
Columbus
The capital city of Ohio, Columbus sits at the meeting point of America's Rust Belt, Bible Belt, Appalachia, and the Plains. It is also home of Ohio State University, which is a major financial and economic force in the city. You'll likely need a car to navigate the city, although there is a bus system, COTA, which can take you to some of Columbus' highlights.
Which city is cheaper, Columbus or Fort Lauderdale?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Fort Lauderdale is $146, while the average daily cost in Columbus is $126. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Fort Lauderdale and Columbus in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $154 for a double occupancy room in Fort Lauderdale.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $116 in Columbus For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Fort Lauderdale food costs typically run travelers around $39 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
The average traveler spends about $39 per day in Columbus for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Fort Lauderdale $39
Columbus $39
Typical Food prices in Fort Lauderdale
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Fort Lauderdale:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Fort Lauderdale
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Fort Lauderdale.
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Mai-Kai Dinner and Polynesian Show:
$47
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All You Can Eat BBQ Dinner and Show at Tropical Isle with Sightseeing Cruise:
$60
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Fort Lauderdale is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $41 per person, per day, on local transportation in Fort Lauderdale.
To get around in Columbus, the average visitor spends $40 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Fort Lauderdale
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Fort Lauderdale:
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Transfer in executive car from Fort Lauderdale Airport(FLL) to Miami downtown:
$64
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Transfer in Executive Private Vehicle from Fort Lauderdale City to Airport:
$57
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Transfer in Executive Private Vehicle from Fort Lauderdale Airport to City:
$57
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Transfer from Port Everglades to Miami International Airport:
$130
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Transfer from Port Everglades to Miami Beach:
$130
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Transfer from Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International to Fort Lauderdale:
$100
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Transfer from Fort Lauderdale Airport to Port Of Miami:
$125
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Transfer from Fort Lauderdale Airport to Orlando:
$750
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Transfer from Fort Lauderdale Airport to Miami Beach:
$130
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Transfer from Fort Lauderdale Airport to Miami:
$130
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Transfer From Fort Lauderdale to Airport/Port:
$25
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Round-Trip Transfer in Executive Private Car from-to Airport in Fort Lauderdale:
$113
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Columbus
Also for Columbus, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Columbus John Glen Airport (CMH) to Columbus - Arrival Private Transfer:
$87
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Columbus John Glen Airport (CMH) to Columbus - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$174
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Columbus to Columbus John Glen Airport (CMH) - Departure Private Transfer:
$87
Is it cheaper to fly into Fort Lauderdale or Columbus?
Prices for flights to both Columbus and Fort Lauderdale change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Fort Lauderdale typically cost an average of $12 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
In Columbus, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $37 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Fort Lauderdale
Here are a few actual costs in Fort Lauderdale for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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1 Hour Central Park Guided Electric Bike Tour:
$49
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1-Hour Bike Tour of Hugh Taylor Birch State Park:
$47
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1-Hour Interactive Pirate Adventure Cruise in Fort Lauderdale (Family-Friendly):
$23
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2 Hour Fort Lauderdale Guided Electric Bike Tour:
$60
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2 Hour Venice Of America Jet Ski Adventure & Exploration Tour of Fort Lauderdale:
$225
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3 Hour All Inclusive 007 Millionaires Row Jet Ski Adventure Fort Lauderdale:
$307
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5-Day Miami+Key West+Palm Beach+Fort Lauderdale Tour (Miami Departure)(MIA5-A):
$579
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90-Minute Narrated Sightseeing Cruises:
$23
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90-Minute Snorkel & Seabob Underwater Guided Reef Tour in Fort Lauderdale:
$139
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Airport to Cruise Shuttle Private Group Transportation:
$580
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Beach Cruiser Bike Rentals in Fort Lauderdale:
$11
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Champagne Sunset Cruise Ft. Lauderdale:
$58
Tours and Activities in Columbus
For Columbus, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Columbus:
$11
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Columbus Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
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LEGOLAND Discovery Center Columbus Ticket:
$21
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Fort Lauderdale may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $27 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Typically, people visiting Columbus spend on average $16 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typical Alcohol prices in Fort Lauderdale
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Fort Lauderdale are as follows:
When comparing the travel costs between Fort Lauderdale and Columbus, we can see that Fort Lauderdale is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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